Graduations 2025: Award-winning apprentice making an impact in patient care

Published on 10, July, 2025

An award-winning University of Sunderland apprentice is making it her mission to improve the quality of care given to orthopaedic trauma patients. 

Yan Cunningham, who is originally from China, came to the UK from Singapore in 2004 to pursue her passion for nursing.

Fast forward 21 years, the mum of two has not only graduated from the University with a distinction, but she has also bagged an award for her dedication in advancing Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) research at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.

Yan provides care for both patients planning orthopaedic surgery as well as those recovering from traumatic orthopaedic injury at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Orthopaedic trauma patients are individuals who have experienced severe injuries to their musculoskeletal system, encompassing bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. These injuries often result from high-impact events like accidents, falls, or sports-related incidents. 

Yan, who joined the University’s three-year MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner apprenticeship in 2022 while working for the Trust, said: “My journey to Sunderland has been a long and fulfilling one.

“I want to express my deepest gratitude to my husband and two teenage sons for their unwavering support, understanding, and belief in me throughout these three years of study and work. They stood by me through every challenge and milestone, and their encouragement made all the difference. I couldn’t have achieved this without them.”

Yan began her nursing career after graduating with a nursing diploma in 1998 from Shenyang, a city in north-east China. In 1999, she was selected for a training programme in Singapore, which marked the beginning of her professional journey.

Yan started as a trainee nurse at Singapore General Hospital and became a registered nurse in 2001. For the next three years, she worked as a staff nurse on an 80-bed elective ward.

Driven by curiosity and a desire to experience life beyond Asia, Yan secured a four-year contract with Northumbria NHS Trust as and relocated from Singapore to the UK in 2004. She initially spent six months as a pre-registration nurse before registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as fully qualified staff nurse.

In 2006, Yan achieved a 2:1 Honours degree in Nursing Science at Northumbria University and shortly went on to work at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, first as a recovery/day case nurse then a Vascular Specialist Nurse.

She joined South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust in 2010 as a ward sister on the T&O ward at Sunderland Royal where she later became a ward-based Nurse Practitioner in T&O.

Yan began her apprenticeship at the University in 2022 – the same year she became an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) in T&O at the Trust – a position she holds to this day.

Specialising in the care of older patients, particularly those with orthopaedic conditions like hip fractures, Yan also practices across the four pillars of advanced clinical practice – clinical, education, leadership, and research.

In February this year at the University’s Apprenticeship Awards, Yan received the Impact and Research Award for her work in in T&O at the Trust.

For the past seven years, Yan has worked hard to make research a normal part of hospital care, building a strong research team and making sure they implement their findings and evidence to provide the best care for patients.

Yan has led many research projects and supported research nurses. She is also the main leader, or Principal Investigator, for two big national studies led by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

One explores how to help people get back to work faster after hip or knee surgery, the second tests if helping caregivers after someone has hip surgery makes a difference.

Andy Waton, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Trust, who Yan describes as a “key figure” in her journey, said: "It has been a privilege to see Yan develop through her ACP training. She has grasped every learning opportunity with both hands, and shown huge dedication in her studies, excelling in both her clinical and academic modules.

"After considering many options to support the hospital in her new role, she is now working closely with the Orthogeriatric team, caring for many of our most vulnerable patients, and is putting her learning into practice supporting an essential and exceptionally busy team. 

"In healthcare, it is crucial that we never stop learning and discovering, and Yan is an exemplary student and clinician.”

This week (Monday 7 July – Friday 11 July) thousands of students are taking to the stage at the Stadium of Light for the University of Sunderland Summer Graduation Ceremonies.

Reflecting on her time at the University, Yan said: “Studying in Sunderland has offered more than just academic growth. The city’s beautiful beaches, parks and convenient transport links to nearby areas have made it a welcoming place to live and learn.

“A special mention has to go to Gemma Stidolph, my academic supervisor. I truly couldn’t have asked for a more supportive and dedicated mentor. Her belief in me, especially during moments of self-doubt, helped me stay focused and push through. Her encouragement was instrumental in my success.”

Gemma, Senior Lecturer in MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner at the University, said: “Yan’s dedication to both her clinical and academic development has been outstanding, setting a high benchmark for aspiring Advanced Clinical Practitioners.

“Yan has demonstrated excellence across all four pillars of Advanced Clinical Practice, consistently delivering exceptional evidence-based care, going above and beyond on her support for both patients and colleagues, leading and managing service improvements, and being recognised with an award for her outstanding contribution to research.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of Yan’s journey.”

For more information on studying the MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner apprenticeship at the University of Sunderland, click here. 

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